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Craig Manning
Craig Manning is a former student of Degrassi Community School. He is the son of the late Dr. Albert Manning and the late Julia Jeremiah. He is now the step-son of Joey Jeremiah and half-brother of Angela Jeremiah. He uses music as an outlet and hopes to have a career in that area. Originally, Craig was a very active photographer, but he eventually abandoned the camera for the guitar. He is portrayed by Jake Epstein. Character History Season 2 Craig first appeared in the season two premiere, where he is revealed to be the stepson of Joey Jeremiah. He hangs around the park, taking photos of his half sister, Angela Jeremiah. His father has never really forgiven his late wife, Julia, for leaving him for Joey and because of this, he starts to take it out on Craig. He is angered that Craig is associating with Joey's family, and forbids him from associating with Angie. It is also revealed that he physically abuses Craig. During an incident while beating Craig, his father broke his camera. The next day, he gave Craig money for a new camera. Craig planned on using this money to run away. He met his sister at the park and played for a while, but when she accidentally fell on his bruise, he told her a dinosaur hurt him. He told her to come with him to British Columbia. Meanwhile, Joey was looking for Angela, and found them at an ice cream stand. Angela accidentally told that Craig wanted to take her to British Columbia. Joey was outraged about it and told him to stay away from her just like his father ordered him to do in the first place. Joey called Craig's father and told him what happened. When Craig got home, his father came after him. He locked himself in his room and called Sean. His father was beating down the door with a golf club (it is implied he was going to beat him with it) and when he finally got in, Craig was gone. He and Sean ran off to some train tracks, where Craig gave Sean a slight hint about his situation at home, and attempted to kill himself by an oncoming train. Sean saved his life, but Craig ran away and out of sight. Sean, Joey, and Emma looked for him, and found him at the cemetery visiting his mothers' grave. Here, Joey found out that Craig was being abused by his dad, so he invited him to live with him. Manny Santos, as well as her friend, Emma, had developed a crush on Craig since they first met, and Manny finally works up the courage to ask him out. Craig was attracted to her as well but Manny's enthusiasm and immaturity, reminded him of his little sister, and completely turned him off. He broke up her in a very harsh way, leaving Manny heartbroken. Craig and Ashley Kerwin had a lot in common. He soon began to see Ashley after their mishaps with Manny and Jimmy. There are hints of his interest in her and it reaches a climax during "Dressed in Black" when the two perform "The Taming of the Shrew" together and it is revealed that he accepts Ashley for being who she is. During the last days of school before summer break, Craig's father started dropping by to see him after school. Craig started reconnecting with his dad, who would help him out with chemistry. After his exams, his father dropped by after school to invite him to dinner. Craig arrived late, because Joey needed him to babysit, and Craig knew he would not have let him see his dad. When Craig finally arrived at the restaurant, his father announced he had bought tickets to London and Paris. Craig was excited, until he realized that his father wanted him to come home. Craig ultimately refused his father and said that it's better for himself to stay with Joey. Upset and angry that Craig refused to join him at home in exchange for a trip to Europe, his dad runs out of the restaurant, with Craig running after him. Outside, Craig tried to get his father to talk, but his father was angry that he chose Joey over him, and even insulted his girlfriend Ashley, for her goth looks. Angry, Craig shoved his father, who backhanded him across the face, knocking him to the pavement and cutting him below the eye. Craig's father apologized and promised to never do it again, but Craig refused to forgive him and told him that he was dead to him (his father had apologized many times before after beating him up only to do it again later.) Frustrated and confused, his father drove away with Craig angrily yelling at him through his dad's car passenger window. Craig arrived home to Joey, who was angry that he had seen his dad without telling him, and wanted to call the police. Craig stopped him, saying he wanted to go to Children's Aid the next day, and make sure he never had to see his father again. The next morning, the police informed them that Craig's father had died in a car accident. Craig surprised everyone by showing up to school the next day and acting as if nothing had happened. When his friends Jimmy and Marco noticed that his and Mr. Simpson's stories didn't match, he alarmed them by making a joke about his father's death. He further surprised Ashley by telling her he still wanted to go to a school Luau. During his father's funeral, a coworker delivered a eulogy, praising him as "a dedicated father." Craig alarmed people by laughing out loud. Joey took him outside, where Craig told him he was happy his father was dead. Ashley, who was already worried about Craig, was further surprised when he entered them in the competition for Luau King and Queen without asking her. Before the dance, Joey warned Craig that the pain would catch up with him, but Craig ignored him. Craig and Ashley won the competition, but as they were standing up on the stage, Craig thought he saw his father in the back, applauding him. He went to meet him excitedly, but found a man who looked the same from the back. He wandered away from the crowd, confused. He had a breakdown, during which he responded to the loss of his father with a furious, emotional outburst. Terri, whose mother had died prior to the start of the series, comforted him by explaining how she understood his pain. He returned to the dance later and slow-danced with Ashley, concreting their relationship for the time being. Season 3 Craig forms a band with Jimmy, Marco, and their friend Spinner at the beginning of season three, practicing in Joey's garage. They are later called Downtown Sasquatch. Ashley and Craig were still dating when school started, but Ashley wasn't sure he really loved her until he wrote a song for her. Ashley now believed she was ready to give Craig her virginity, but soon learned that Craig had bragged to Spinner about their as-yet nonexistent sex life. She found out that he told Spinner when he blew up a condom then let it go. Angered, Ashley refused to speak to him. Meanwhile, Manny came to comfort Craig after her super-brief relationship with Sully ended. She heard Craig's song and commented on the lack of appreciation Ashley had for him. They then made love for the first time, simultaneously losing their virginities. The next day Ashley forgave Craig, but Manny refused to let him go, so for the next few months Craig cheated on Ashley with Manny. Finally, Manny got tired of being the other woman, and wanted Craig to break up with Ashley. He was about to until Ashley gave him a vintage guitar that had belonged to her grandfather for a Christmas present; he didn't have the heart to break the relationship off, but told Manny he did, anyway. Manny then told Ashley that she and Craig were dating and Ashley told her that he never even broke up with her. Ashley went into a tear-filled rage and broke up with Craig. Manny told Craig that he was an idiot and dropped the necklace he gave her onto the floor, signifying her dumping him. Some time later, Manny started feeling sick to her stomach a lot and noticed that she had not had her period for two months. Fearing that she may be pregnant, she asks Craig if he used a condom when they had sex. Craig claims that he thought Manny was on birth control. Manny eventually learned that she was indeed pregnant with Craig's child. Craig was overjoyed, as he never really had a family before and wanted to start his own. However, Manny realized she couldn't handle being a mother at such a young age, and had an abortion. This made Craig very angry, and he severed ties with Manny. Toward the end of the season, Craig and Ashley were friends again. Season 4 While her keyboard playing did improve Downtown Sasquatch's sound, the other members felt Ashley was stealing the spotlight. After a band meeting without Ashley, Craig was forced to choose between his bandmates and her. Craig reluctantly kicked Ashley out of the band, but their chances to record a demo were ruined. Craig and Ashley then got back together. Without Downtown Sasquatch, Craig pursued his music interests with Ashley and claimed to have been inspired by their reunion. When director Kevin Smith came to Degrassi to shoot a movie, Craig was given the opportunity to write a song for the soundtrack. He told Ashley the news, hoping that the prospect would keep her from moving to the United Kingdom. In [[Mercy Street|'Mercy Street']], J.T. sees Craig naked in the changerooms and discovers that he has a large penis. This makes J.T. think that Manny has been disapproving him because of his own size. However, it was due to J.T.'s immaturity. When Jimmy was paralyzed from the waist down during a school shooting, Craig and Marco are especially supportive during his recovery. The two even help Jimmy escape from the sterilized confines of the hospital to see a concert. Craig impulsively took Ashley to a hotel (on unsuspecting Joey's credit card). Where craig and Ashley hook up. Later on, Craig proposed to Ashley, when she refused, however, he fell into a deep depression. Furious, he wrecked his hotel room. however the next morning, Ashley called Craig and told him eventually she would marry him. Then, when Craig shows up to Ashley's dad's wedding, he announces their engagement even though Ashley tells him not to. This causes a problem and Craig tries to make a scene. He is escorted out of the wedding. When Joey got a phone call from the hotel regarding payment for thousands of dollars worth of damage to Craig's hotel suite, he confronted his stepson. Craig exploded in violence, beating Joey until Ashley, who had left the wedding, stopped him. Upon hearing her voice, Craig suddenly became euphorically excited, and was confused as to what happened to Joey. Soon after, Craig was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Feeling sympathetic, Ashley restates that she loved him and will stay by his side. Throughout the rest of the season, however, Ashley felt as though she was constantly worrying or trying to take care of Craig; on the other hand, Craig felt that everyone thought he was "crazy." Ashley thus opted to spend a summer in England with her father. Craig went off his medication and enrolled in a music program in London to be near her, but Ashley rejected him. Brokenhearted, Craig decided instead to spend the summer hiding at Degrassi while Jay and Silent Bob Go Canadian, Eh? was being filmed there. After Spinner discovered Craig in the school kitchen, he told Joey, who took Craig home. Craig was also angry with Spinner in this season for dating Manny even though he loved Ashley because he saw it as betrayal and still seemed somewhat attached to Manny and ready to make a move before he was with Ashley. Craig was the first to ostracize Spinner after the school shooting and still harbored some resentment toward him in following seasons, despite forgiving him while off his meds. Season 5 Craig began school by renouncing girls. When a video of Manny's breasts were spread via e-mail throughout Degrassi,Craig realized that manny has matured alot. Therefore, Craig and Manny become friends and again. (Then they hooked up). When Ashley broke up with Craig in an e-mail, Ellie tried unsuccessfully to "protect" Craig. Spinner accidentally revealed the news during Craig's seventeenth birthday party. Craig was more upset that Ellie hid the news from him, hurt that she thought it would cause another breakdown. Ellie and Craig reconciled, however, and he even brought her into Downtown Sasquatch as the new drummer. When Peter Stone pushed Manny Santos into a locker because she wouldn't listen to his attempt to forget the topless video, Craig threatened him that if he touched or looked at Manny, he'd deal with Craig. Craig got a chance at the big time when a music manager saw one of his band's performances, but as the situation unfolded it became apparent that the manager was more interested in Craig than Downtown Sasquatch as a whole, which became clear at a photo shoot, when Craig said, "I'm kinda about the band," to which the manager replied, "Now, the band, is about you." When Craig came home to tell Joey about his great news, Joey handed him an acceptance letter and full scholarship to the University of Toronto. Craig decided instead to focus on his music career. Meanwhile, Downtown Sasquatch's new manager advised Craig to fire Ellie. When Craig got the chance to go to Vancouver for the summer, Ellie confronted him, saying that he should go without the band because they were all going off in different directions. Craig briefly left Degrassi behind, but returned in the season finale for graduation as his old flame, Ashley, arrived. Season 6 Craig later on becomes addicted to cocaine, revealed on "What's It Feel Like to Be a Ghost?" and he overdosed in Part 2 and his nose had a major bleed in front of major recording artists, Taking Back Sunday . He told Manny that he had only done it once or twice and she believed him for a while until it became more out of hand and he couldn't stop. Growing tired of Craig's dependency, Manny dumps him. When Ellie caught the drugs in his room, she confronted him and asked him who's they were. Craig lied and told her that they belonged to Manny. Manny then tells Ellie that Craig and her are over because of his drugs. Ellie told her that those were Manny's drugs, and Manny told her that this was not the case. Ellie, hurt as well as frustrated, ran upstairs to Craig's room. Craig kisses Ellie, and she kisses him back after Craig said he loves her; she responded with the same message. Craig then said because of that, she shouldn't make him quit the drugs. Ellie pushed him away and called him a "bastard" for playing with her feelings. During a performance, Craig gets a nosebleed and Ellie is forced to tell Joey and Mr. Simpson about it. Ellie and Mr. Simpson escort Craig to the airport to go to rehab in Calgary, close to Joey. Craig begs Ellie for another chance, but she simply tells him "goodbye" and walks off in tears. Season 7 After he gets out of rehab, Craig's CD is released which seems successful, seeing as in the episode "It's Tricky", Anya notes Ashley as "Degrassi's own little piece of him" (referring to Craig). Four of the songs on the CD makes references to everyone he has kissed: Ashley ("She's The Ash"), Manny ("Thong-Girl, Wrong-Girl"), Ellie ("Red-Headed For Trouble"), and Marco ("Kissing in the Stairwell"). It's also revealed that Craig used one of Ashley's songs and didn't credit her for it. The song was called "My Window" and calling Ashley his inspiration for music. He also appeared for a concert in the episode, Bust a Move, aka The Degrassi Spring Break Movie, where he calls Ashley up to the stage and says she has always been his friend and inspiration. He asks Ashley to tour in Europe with him. They tour together for a little while, but both eventually go their seperate ways, albeit still on speaking terms. Season 8 In Degrassi Goes Hollywood, it is revealed that Craig is currently living in a condo in Los Angeles. He tells Ellie that he has been clean and sober for a year. Ellie ends up staying at Craig's condo due to an argument with Marco and Paige. She stays and ends up having a romantic time at the beach by his condo and then when they arrive back at his place Craig's girlfriend shows up. Ellie then decides to go back to Paige's house and becomes upset at one of her parties. Craig tries to confront Ellie and explain his feelings but she gets upset and starts drinking straight out of a bottle. Marco tells Craig to leave Ellie alone and they both end up falling into the pool at the party. Once they realize Ellie left the party, they run in search of her and find her at the beach in the water even though she can't swim. They save Ellie and at the end of the movie, she takes a flight back to Toronto and Craig and Ellie kiss before she leaves for her flight. Quotes *(Season 4, Episode 19 - Moonlight Desires) Craig: "So when in doubt you kiss Craig?" Marco: "I gotta explain this to Dylan." Craig: "Yeah, you do! You really, really do!" Relationships *Ashley Kerwin **First Relationship: ***Start Up: "Tears Are Not Enough (2)" (222) ***Broke Up: "Should I Stay Or Should I Go?" (307) ****Reason: Ashley wasn't sure that Craig loved her. **Second Relationship: ***Start Up: "[[Should I Stay or Should I Go?|'Should I Stay or Should I Go?']]" (307) ***Broke Up: "[[Holiday (2)|'Holiday (2)']]" (312) ****Reason: Craig cheated on her with Manny and was two-timing them behind their backs. **Third Relationship: ***Start Up: "Neutron Dance" (410) ***Broke Up: "Venus (1)" (501) ****Reason: Ashley begins dating someone named Alister while in England. *Manny Santos **First Relationship: ***Start Up: "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" (307) ***Broke Up: "Holiday (2)" (312) ****Reason: Craig lies to Manny about ending his relationship with Ashley. **Second Relationship: *** Start up: "Accidents Will Happen (1)" (314) ***Broke up:' "Accidents Will Happen (2)"' (315) ****Reason: Craig didnt want Manny to have an abortion. **Thrid Relationship: ***Start Up: "Weddings, Parties, Anything" (505) ***Broke Up: "What's It Feel Like To Be a Ghost? (2)" (610) ****Reason: Craig chooses cocaine over Manny. *Yvette **Start Up: Before "Degrassi Goes Hollywood" (819) Category:Degrassi: The Next Generation Category:Relationships Category:Friendships Category:Cheating Category:Abuse Category:Sex Category:Teen Pregnancy Category:Season 2 Category:Season 3 Category:Season 4 Category:Season 5 Category:Season 6 Category:Season 7 Category:Season 8 Category:Love Triangles Category:Half Sibling Category:Friends with Benefits Category:Musician Category:Male Characters Category:Band Category:Downtown Sasquatch Category:Pregnancy Category:Degrassi Movie Category:Degrassi: TNG teens Category:Degrassi: TNG characters